Electric hot dog apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electrical hot dog cooker having a housing comprising upper and lower parts, and the means for interlocking the parts together. One end of the housing is open and at the other end there is means for reception of an electric plug. The plug has openings, or slots, at its inner end for reception of prongs, there being movable baffles, or plates, normally closing or blocking the plug openings, or slots, against entrance of electrically conducting prongs. These baffles, or plates, are moved out of normal locking position by pins carried by the respective upper and lower housing parts. There is also, a drawer, or tray, having an electrical conductor strip at each side of the drawer, and the conductor strips have improved, aligned electrodes for operable connection or engagement with the opposite ends of hot dogs in the drawer and arranged transversely thereof. The electric conductor strips have ends, or prongs, that enter the plug openings, or slots, when the drawer is fully inserted into the housing, and there is interlocking means for interlocking the parts of the housing together when the drawer is inserted into the housing.

United States Patent [191 Wibben 1 Mar. 12, 1 974 1 ELECTRIC HOT DOG APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Hans O. Wibben, 8424 S. Secura Way, Sante Fe Springs, Calif. 90670 22 Filed Nov. 1, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 194,385

[52] 1 ,5, "339 59 51 Int. Cl ..H01r 13 44, HOlr 13/60 58 FieldofSearch ..339/36,37,4o,41,42, 14,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,770,786 11/1956 Chelton 339/40 3,222,631 12/1965 Cohen 339/40 2,213,020 8/1940 Scott 339/191 A 3,281,752 10/1966 Newman.... 339/41 723,866 3/1903 Hart 339/41 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 443,794 3/1936 Great Britain 339/40 508,415 6/1939 Great Britain 339/40 1,102,234 3/1961 Germany 339/40 40,555 11/1968 Finland 339/40 673,010 5/1952 Great Britain 339/40 Primary ExaminerJoseph H. McGlynn. Assistant ExaminerTerrell P. Lewis Attorney, Agent, or Firm.l. Carroll Baisch [57] ABSTRACT An electrical hot dog cooker having a housing comprising upper and lower parts, and the means for interlocking the parts together. One end of the housing is open and at the other end there is means for reception of an electric plug. The plug has openings, or slots, at its inner end for reception of prongs, there being movable baffles, or plates, normally closing or blocking the plug openings, or slots, against entrance of electrically conducting prongs. These baffles, or plates, are moved out of normal locking position by pins carried by the respective upper and lower housing parts. There is also, a drawer, or tray, having an electrical conductor strip at each side of the drawer, and the conductor strips have improved, aligned electrodes for operable connection or engagement with the opposite ends of hot dogs inthe drawer and arranged transversely thereof. The electric conductor strips have ends,-or prongs, that enter the plug openings, or slots, when the drawer is fully inserted into the housing, and there is interlockingmeans for interlocking the parts of the housing together when the drawer is inserted into the housing.

1 Claim, 10 Drawing Figures PATENIEBIAR 12 1914 3796383 1 "mra,

Hans 0.

PATENTED MR 1 2 i974 SHEEI 3 BF 3 175 0. ma i.

INVENTO il /ann y ELECTRIC HOT DOG APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention. The present invention relates, generally, to an electric cooking apparatus and relates, more particularly, to electric hot dog cookers.

2. Description of the Prior Art. It is well known to cook food, including hot dogs, by passing electric current through the food, the normal resistance of the food to the passage of electric current generating heat within the food to effect the cooking.

There are numerous and various prior-art electric cookers but they, generally, present potential safety hazards.

Generally, electrodes, or contact elements, are unsatisfactory in these prior-art devices and, also, present a safety hazard.

Also, the prior-art devices are difficult to clean properly.

Further, those devices have an electric plug for reception of prongs, or the like, to complete the electric circuit and these plugs, generally, do not have the proper safety features to eliminate the danger of persons receiving electric shocks which could be dangerous and harmful, if not fatal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an electrical hot dog cooker having a housing of electrically nonconducting material. The housing has upper and lower parts, each of which has longitudinally extending, interior flanges along the inner sides, with the flanges of each side positioned together. One end of the housing is open and, at the other end, there is means for reception of an electric plug. The plug has openings, or slots, at its inner end for reception of electrically conducting prongs, there being movable baffles, or plates, normally closing the plug openings, or slots. The plug body and the baffles, or plates, are, also, of electrically nonconducting material, and these baffles, or plates, are moved out of the normal blocking position by pins carried by the respective upper and lower housing parts when these parts are placed or assembled together. I

There is, also, a drawer, or tray, of electrically nonconducting material and said drawer, or tray, has an electric conductor strip at each side thereof, the conductor strip having improved, oppositely arranged and aligned electrodes for operable connection or engagement with opposite ends of hot dogs arranged transversely in the drawer. The electric conductor strips have ends that are arranged to enter the plug openings, or slots, when the drawer is fully inserted into the housing, and there is automatic interlocking means for interlocking the parts of the housing together when the drawer is inserted into the housing. This interlocking means includes the interior flanges of the upper and lower parts of the housing and a pair of longitudinally extending, vertically spaced flanges along each side of the drawer, to thereby provide grooves in which the interior flanges of the upper and lower parts of the housing are slidably received. Thus, the parts of the housing cannot be separated or disassembled when the drawer is in said housing. When the prongs of the electric conductor strips are disposed within the plug, they are frictionally held therein. Thus, the drawer is frictionally held against removal from the housing but may be readily removed by pulling on said drawer with sufficient force to overcome the friction holding the drawer in the housing.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide an improved hot dog cooker that may be used with safety and without danger of getting an electric shock when handling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plug for the cooker having the openings for prongs normally closed but opened when the top and bottom of the housing are assembled.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for interlocking the housing parts automatically when the drawer is inserted into the housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this character that may be easily disassembled or taken apart for cleaning and as easily reassembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of this character that meets all of the UL requirements.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this character wherein the plug cannot be removed from its socket until the two parts of the housing are disassembled or separated.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, which represent one embodiment. After considering this example, skilled persons will understand that any variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed and I contemplate the employment of any structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus fully assembled;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the electrical connectors with their electrodes and prongs; 7

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the plug of the present apparatus showing the plug lying on one side thereof;

FIG. 7 is a similar view of the plug lying on the opposite side;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 6 showing the openings of slots of the plug locked by the baffles, or plates;

FIG. 9 is a similar view, but showing the portions of the upper and lower parts of the housing disposed on the plug and showing the pins thereof as they have moved the baffles, or plates, to the open position in alignment with the openings, or slots, in the inner end of the plug, so that the prong of the electric conductors may be operably inserted; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the plug partly in section and taken on line 10 10 of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED I EMBODIMENT .Referring to FIG, 1 of the drawings, there is shown the present apparatus which includes a housing, indicated generally at 10, a drawer, indicated generally at l2, and an electric plug, indicated generally at 14. The Housing The housing comprises a lower, or bottom, part, indicated generally at 16, and an upper part, indicated generally at 18.

The bottom partl6 comprises a bottom wall 20, upwardly-flaring side walls 22 and a front wall 24, there being no back wall. The front wall 24 has a forwardly projecting, generally U-shaped projection, or portion, indicated generally at 26, defining the lower half of a socket for the plug 14. The bottom wall 28 of the pro jection, or portion, 26 has a plurality of upstanding, integral pins 30, there being a pair of such pins spaced apart transversely of the projection, or portion, 26. There is a third upstanding pin 32 spaced forwardly of the pins 30 and a point, generally, intermediate said pins 30.

Along the upper edge ofeach of the side walls 22, there is a longitudinally extending, horizontal flange 36. The flanges 36 extend outwardly of the walls 22 and, also, have portions extending inwardly, as indicated at 36a. There are a plurality of longitudinally spaced, upwardly extending pins 38 on the outward portion of each of the flanges 36, and adjacent the forward end of one of the flanges there is an upstanding lug 40.

The Top Part of the Housing The top part of the housing has a top wall 44, downwardly-flaring side walls 46 and a front wall 48 having a forwardly-projecting projection, or portion, in the cross-sectional shape of an inverted U, said projection being indicated generally at 50. This portion 50 cooperates with the projection of portion 26 of the lower part of the housing, to define a socket for the plug 14.

Top wall 52 of the projection 50 has a pair of depending pins 54 in alignment with the respective pins 30 of the projection, or portion 26, and a third pin 56 in alignment with the pin 32. Side wall 60 of the projection 50 has a lug 62. The upper part 18 has horizontal, longitudinally extending flanges 64 similar to the flanges 36 of the lower part, the flanges 64 having interior portions 64a. The exterior parts of the flanges 64 have openings therein for reception of the pins 38 of the lower part and, when the two parts are placed together or assembled, the flanges 36 and 64 are brought together, as best shown in FIG. 2. A lug depending from one of the flanges 52 corresponds to the lug 40.

The Drawer The drawer 12 has a bottom 70, a forward wall 72, a rear wall 74 and side walls 76. A handle 78 projects rearwardly. The ends of the front wall 72 are spaced slightly from the adjacent side walls, and there is a transverse channel 80 defined by a wall 82 and the adjacent portion of the front wall 72, said wall 82 being spaced forwardly of the wall 72. The wall 82 has a pair of transversely-spaced openings 84 therein for reception of the forwardly-projecting prongs 88 of electrical conductors 90, to which the respective prongs 88 are connected by parts 92 which extend transversely of the drawer. Electrical conductors extend longitudinally of the drawer at each side thereof and have a plurality of electrodes, indicated generally at 94. The electrodes comprise a plurality of inwardly turned ears 96, four being shown, and the electrodes of one side are in alignment with corresponding electrodes of the opposite side so that they may be engaged with the ends of hot dogs 98 disposed transversely in the drawer (FIG.

1) for the cooking operation. It is to be noted that the front ends of the electrical conductors are received in the spaces at the ends of the front wall 72, these spaces being between the ends of the front wall 72 and the adjacent sides of the drawer.

Each of the side walls of the drawer have longitudinally extending, external flanges that are spaced vertically apart a sufficient distance to receive inner edge portions of the flange parts 36a and 64a, to provide an automatic interlock to hold the top and bottom parts of the housing together when the drawer is within the housing.

The Plug Referring more particularly to FIGS. 6 to 10, inclusive, the plug comprises a pair of oppositely arranged, hollow shells 100 and 102, respectively, of electrically non-conducting material such as a suitable plastic of well-known character. There are the usual contacts 104, to which respective electric wires 106 are connected, said wires being connected with a source of electric power.

Each of the shells has a transverse recess adjacent the front end, said recesses being indicated at 108 and 1 l0, and when the shells are assembled said recesses define a transversely extending chamber, from which openings, or slots, extend through the end walls 114 of the shells 100 and 102, said slots being for reception of the prongs 88 when they are opened, uncovered or unblocked by the baffles, or plates, 118, the chamber in which said baffles, or plates, are disposed being indicated at 120. v

, The baffles, or plates, are of identical construction or shape but are oppositely arranged in the chamber 120, said baffles, or plates, having slots 124 therein of substantially the same size and dimensions as the openings 112. Each baffle, or plate, is provided with an outwardly projecting lug 126 which rests against the respective walls of the shells when said baffles, or plates, are at their outermost positions, at which they are yieldingly urged by springs 128. Ends of the springs 128 are received in notches 130 in the respective baffles, or plates, said notches facing each other.

When the baffles, or plates, 118 are at their outer, spring-urged positions, theyare spaced apart, with the The slots 124 are brought partly into register with the slots 112 by placing the plug in the lower'or bottom part of the housing. In placing the plug in this portion, the pins 30 extend into the holes 140 in the shell part 100 and the pin 32 extends into the opening 142 of said shell part, When the pins 30 are fully extended through the openings 140, their free ends engage the cam sur-, faces 144 of the respective baffles and cause the lower end of said baffles to be moved inwardly, pivoting on the upper ends thereof. By placing-the top part of the housing on the lower part, the pins 54 of the top part 52 enter the openings 146 of the shell part 102 and the free ends thereof engage the cam surfaces 148 at the top of the baffles, or plates, inwardly, thereby bringing the slots 124 of the baffles into full register with the openings, or slots, 112. It is to be noted that, when the top part of the housing is placed on the lower part, the pin 62 enters the opening 150 of the shell part 102. Since the slots 124 of the baffles are not fully in register with the slots 112 when the plug is placed in only one of the portions of the top or bottom parts of the housing, it will be apparent that the parts of the housing must be fully brought together before the prongs 88 may be moved into the slots 112 and slots 124, for electrical contact with the contacts 104 which are at the opposite side of the baffles, or plates, and cannot be contacted by the prongs until both ends of the baffles, or plates, have been moved inwardly to bring the slots 124 thereof into full register with the slots 112. It is to be noted that the shell 102 has vertical grooves 152 in the sides thereof for reception of the lugs 62 when the housing parts are brought together. Thus, the plug is held in a fixed position and cannot move longitudinally in its socket when the apparatus is assembled, and the prongs 88 will readily enter the slots 112 and 124 and move into operable contact with the contacts 104, when the drawer is fully pushed into the housing. The drawer is, of course, pushed into the housing through the back of said housing, which is fully opened,'and when the parts of the housing are fully assembled the only part of the assembly that can be moved is the drawer. When the drawer is disposed in the housing the housing parts are automatically held together and the plug is held in its socket. To disassemble the apparatus, the drawer must be fully removed from the housing. The parts of the housing and the plug may then be disassembled. It is to be noted that inner movement of the drawer is limited by the engagement of one of the flanges at the outer side thereof with one of the lugs,

such as lug 40.

Hot dogs are placed transversely in the drawer when the drawer is removed from the housing. When the drawer is moved fully into the housing the electrical conductor strips and, hence, the electrodes are supplied with current through the prongs, so that the hot dogs are cooked by the current passing them. An electric switch, not shown, is interposed in the electric circuit. The drawer is placed fully inside the housing before the current is turned on and the current is turned off before the drawer is removed.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, or sacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbefore described being merely by way of example, and I do not wish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except as defined by the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. An electric plug, including: a body of electrically non-conductive material, at least a part of which is hollow, said body having prong-receiving openings therein;

I blocking means movable between a position blocking the prong openings and a second position whereat said prong openings are uncovered for operable entrance of electric-current-conducting prongs;

and yielding means urging the blocking means means to the blocking position;

the means for blocking the prong-receiving openings comprising baffles in the hollow part of the plug body, movable from the blocking position to the second position, said plug body having openings into the hollow part of the plug for reception of baffie operating means for engagement with said baffles for moving them to said second position;

the baffles having cam parts in alignment with openings for baffle operating means, whereby said baffle operating means engage said cam parts and move the baffles to said second position;

wherein there are holes for the baffle operating means in opposite faces of the plug body and there is a cam part for each of said holes, the baffles being adapted to have respective ends moved by the baffle operating means at the respective ends of said baffles. I 

1. An electric plug, including: a body of electrically nonconductive material, at least a part of which is hollow, said body having prong-receiving openings therein; blocking means movable between a position blocking the prong openings and a second position whereat said prong openings are uncovered for operable entrance of electric-current-conducting prongs; and yielding means urging the blocking means means to the blocking position; the means for blocking the prong-receiving openings comprising baffles in the hollow part of the plug body, movable from the blocking position to the second position, said plug body having openings into the hollow part of the plug for reception of baffle operating means for engagement with said baffles for moving them to said second position; the baffles having cam parts in alignment with openings for baffle operating means, whereby said baffle operating means engage said cam parts and move the baffles to said second position; wherein there are holes for the baffle operating means in opposite faces of the plug body and there is a cam part for each of said holes, the baffles being adapted to have respective ends moved by the baffle operating means at the respective ends of said baffles. 